Now that 2020 is in the rearview (finally!), we’re excited to share how we fought food waste together this year. This is our second-annual recap of all the things we’ve done together as a community (read 2019’s here).
We rescued a lot of food
More than 60 million pounds of produce, in fact! We worked with more than 90 growers in 2020 to bring our customers more than 1,200 varieties of produce. Hear from one of our farm partners at Lakeside Organic Gardens about why they only grow organic:
We formally launched our customization feature
At long last, all customers became eligible to customize their boxes from dozens of types of produce each week. Though mystery boxes remain popular, the majority of you decided to create custom boxes each week.
We made the move west!
In October, we opened our Salt Lake City distribution center, our second-ever facility, to expand into even more zip codes. New states in 2020 included Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Utah, Idaho, Missouri, and Kansas. By the end of December, we served a total of 34 states, plus Washington D.C., with more to come in 2021.
Our Marketplace continued to grow…
Misfits Market has been about much more than just produce for a while. But this was the year we branched out into a slew of new categories, from pasta and bread to plant-based milks and savory snacks. In 2020, we offered more than 900 different Marketplace items from 150 makers. The most popular Marketplace packaged item (#1 in 23 states!) was Minor Figures Oat Milk. As for specialty produce, blueberries topped the list in 30 states.
…which allowed us to form rescue-driven relationships with some awesome partners
Covid-19 impacted many businesses, which gave us the opportunity to create new food waste reduction programs with brands like GrandyOats (granola), Preferred (popcorn), and Taza (chocolate.)
Preferred Popcorn had been supplying movie theaters for over 20 years, then the pandemic disrupted their business in a major way. We were more than happy to step up and offer a place to sell their top-notch popcorn. Read more about our partnership with Preferred at The Washington Post.
It wasn’t just purveyors of popcorn that suffered. Bean-to-bar chocolatiers like Taza Chocolate needed support, too. Watch to learn how Misfits Market pioneered a new food waste reduction program with Taza earlier this year and turned excess into access for chocolate lovers:
We welcomed our chef-in-residence Bobby Flay…
Fall marked the launch of our partnership with the amazing Bobby Flay. (Make sure you follow our Instagram to catch Bobby unboxing his Misfits Market haul and developing delicious seasonal treats that you can make at home!) His Toasted Zucchini Pasta was our most-viewed video of the year:
…and published a lot of recipes
In 2020, we published more than 155 recipes, educational guides, and food-related blog posts to help you make the most of your boxes. Our most popular blog of the year? This guide on How to Build Up Your Pantry and Mix Shelf-Stable Food with Fresh Produce! Even we find ourselves referencing it from time to time.
You also loved our monthly produce guides. (Check out our December guide now!)
We gave back to those in need
It bears repeating: 2020 was a rough year, but that doesn’t mean it was all bad. Thanks to your support, we donated more than 120,000 pounds of food to communities in need in 2020. More than 13,000 boxes were donated by subscribers like you through our new skip donation program. We also helped stock community fridges throughout the Northeast with fresh produce.
To say thank you, we’re upping our referral reward through early January
Know someone who would love to be part of this amazing community we’ve built together? If you refer a friend to Misfits Market and they sign up between 12/28/20 and 1/3/21, you’ll both get 50% off a future subscription box.
Learn more about our referral program, then refer a friend now!
Comments (52)
When do you plan to serve Troy ID83871?
Hi Suzanne, yes! We currently ship to all zip codes in Idaho. You can sign up on our website here: https://www.misfitsmarket.com/
We hope you’ll give us a try. Thank you!
Why would i want to rejoin ,,when I paid for my first box $ 68 , and never received the first box. They said it was at warehouse awaiting delivery but never arrived so I cancelled Further
orders. I wasn’t going to be charged for something I wasn’t assured I would receive. So no I will not be rejoining
Hi Nancy, we’re sorry to hear that there were issues with your first delivery. We want to make this right. If you haven’t already, please fill out a ticket with our customer success team here: https://help.misfitsmarket.com/contact/custom-contact-form-S1NAIK1Iw Your message will be added to our queue and our team will be in touch with you via email as soon as they can. Thank you!
This is the biggest rip off. The food comes in a box that has all produce mashed together. The fruit comes all bruised and rotten. It 2 days time in frig or out the produce is rotten. I have tried to cancel and can’t get to where I need to go to cancel the subscription. Way to expensive for rotten food. I am a farmer. I know what ugly food is. This is not about ugly food this is about ripping people off sending them rotten food. Very unhappy.
Hi Shelley, we’re so sorry about the quality of your produce. This is definitely not up to our standards and we want to make this right. Please fill out a ticket with our customer success team here: https://help.misfitsmarket.com/contact/custom-contact-form-S1NAIK1Iw Your message will be added to our queue and our team will be in touch with you via email as soon as they can.
If you’d like to pause or cancel your subscription, please log in and visit your account page here: https://www.misfitsmarket.com/account Then, click “Manage Subscription.” On the right side of the page, you’ll be able to change your subscription preferences—preferred day, frequency, and box size. Or, scroll down to “need a break?” to skip, pause, or cancel. Thank you!
Wow… really. I am sorry thats your experience. I love my misfit box. It saves me money and rarely do I get any produce that is sub-par. Ugly.. but tasty.
Your issue might be ups or FedEx. They have caused me the only real headache I ever have had.
I hear you about the delivery companies. Actually, we were not certain whether it was the delivery companies or a dissatisfied employee of MisFitsBox. After hearing from you I’m leaning towards the Delivery Companies.
I could not disagree with Shelley (aka Karen) more. I’ve gotten 2 madness boxes from Misfits so far, and have been adding pretty extensively from the marketplace too. Of the approximately 100 items/pieces of produce/cartons of berries I received, I had one mealy tomato, 2 uncomfortably squishy strawberries (went to the bunnies, they loved it), and one mango with a golf ball-sized bad spot that I had to cut out. 3 issues out of like 50 pounds? I’ll take those odds. No worse than what’s available at your local store. Added bonus: Misfits delivers tropical fruit to me, who lives in the middle of nowhere in the upper Northeast, and it’s winter. I feel like it should be a crime to have fresh, organic mangoes and oranges here at this time of year, yet here I am, happy as a clam.
Produce should never go bad in 2 days inside a refrigerator. If you are a “farmer,” then you should know a thing or two about long term food storage. Invest in some crisper containers and you’ll probably live a more fulfilling,d happy, and less Karen-y life. For anyone else who may be reading this, I still have 4 kiwi, 2 pears, and 1 apple from a box that I received 26 DAYS AGO, and it’s fine. I hardly call that “rotten.” Thanks Misfits, keep up the good work!
You should bre looking at FedEx. They’re TERRIBLE! I got a wet, beat up, clearly tampered- with box and damaged produce. Misfit immediately refunded the entire charge.
Your post sounds like something else rubbed you the wrong way cuz they’re absolutely NOT a ripoff. If you’re such a wonderful farmer, maybe you could just grow your own instead of bashing this service.
That’s not my experience. While the items are not always perfect, i get a box every other week and find the products to last for quite a while. I love this option to help decrease waste and get delivery especially during COVID.
This sounds like my first box shipped, the veggies weren’t fresh and the canc elation policy was not easy! Part of me wants to try again, but I’m afraid. There was alot of waste in my first order!
Hi Kathleen, we’re sorry to hear about the quality of your produce! This is not up to our standards and we want to make this right. Please fill out a ticket with our customer success team here: https://help.misfitsmarket.com/contact/custom-contact-form-S1NAIK1Iw Your message will be added to our queue and our team will be in touch with you via email as soon as they can.
As for pausing or canceling Misfits Market, please log in and visit your account page here: https://www.misfitsmarket.com/account Then, click “Manage Subscription.” On the right side of the page, you’ll be able to change your subscription preferences—preferred day, frequency, and box size. Or, scroll down to “need a break?” to skip, pause, or cancel. Thank you!
I stopped my shipments because as you said, all mushed together and my cukes, celery and tomatoes were frozen in transit…not ugly, just rotten had to throw most items away
Hi Diane, oh no! We’re sorry to hear about the state of the produce once it arrived. This is definitely not up to our standards and we want to make this right. Please fill out a ticket with our customer success team here: https://help.misfitsmarket.com/contact/custom-contact-form-S1NAIK1Iw Your message will be added to our queue and our team will be in touch with you via email as soon as they can. Thank you!
Have you come across any Kabocha squash? The taste is a lot like Sweet potato mixed with Pumpkin!
Delish!
Hi Bettie, yes! We frequently rescue Kabocha squash, though we do not currently have any. Misfits Market is proud to be a producer and farmer-led business, so we only sell what we’re able to rescue (versus telling farmers to grow something for us). Check out our weekly “What We’re Rescuing Right Now” page to see what might be available to add to your box: https://www.misfitsmarket.com/whats-in-your-box
Thank you!
Hi Bettie,
Thank you, I had no idea about the taste, Soooo, I avoided picking them.
Sounds good.
It says
our address is invalid. That is our physical address. How can I fix this?
Hi Jeanette, thank you for your question! We edited your comment to remove personal information. You can edit your address by logging into your account and visiting the page with your subscription preferences: https://www.misfitsmarket.com/subscription
If you’re having trouble adding your address, please double check the spelling is correct. Or, someone on our customer success team help you. Please fill out a ticket here: https://help.misfitsmarket.com/contact/custom-contact-form-S1NAIK1Iw Your message will be added to our queue and our team will be in touch with you via email as soon as they can. Thank you!
Enjoy being a part of the misfits. At my place, we attempt to use every item in our box before the next one arrives. Improvising as we go the journey is fuitful
Hello,
Many fruits and vegetable are coming from Mexico.
I was hoping the products be more local?
How the products are coming to me (Brooklyn) by plane?
I hope not because that will not be the most green option?
Thank you to let me know?
Virginie
Hi Virginie, great question! While we do rescue some produce from Mexico, we’re also rescuing from farms across the United States. This way, we can guarantee that boxes have a good mix of produce whatever the season. Produce arrives to us via a number of delivery methods. You can learn more about our sourcing methods here: https://www.misfitsmarket.com/faq#10
Thank you!
I really don’t want to complain but I have the same problem as your customer above, Shelley Cuevas. I usually have to throw out several items in my box because they are soft or ruined. I realize that this is fresh food, but I firmly believe that part of the problem is packaging. Some of the items should not be packed in the same box. One solution might be to figure out a way to separate the items within each box. It would help keep the very cold and wet items away from the ones that should be dry and cool. Maybe just a simple piece of cardboard?
Hi Sandra, we’re so sorry to hear about the quality of your box after it’s been packed. We’re constantly changing how boxes are packed to eliminate these issues. If there has been anything in your box that has not been suitable for eating, we want to make it right! Please fill out a ticket with our customer success team here: https://help.misfitsmarket.com/contact/custom-contact-form-S1NAIK1Iw Your message will be added to our queue and our team will be in touch with you via email as soon as they can. Thank you!
This is a good deal. I love all the things i have received. Even tho you need to use them soon. They are so tasty
The feature to customize my box is great if I happen to log on early. Twice when I have ordered after you are out of enough items that I cannot choose enough items in a category, I got boxes that had a huge amount of one thing. On time it was enough golden beets for five households (I gave that much away.). Another time It was four heads of red leaf lettuce. My household simply could not use that much before it went bad. I have stopped customizing because of that.
I love Misfits, both the idea of rescuing food that would be thrown out and that it fosters my creativity because I need to find new recipes and make a plan for what arrives. It just seems that in more recent months I have had items in the box that are past their prime. This past box it was both tomatoes (they spoiled within two days) and cucumbers (they were soft and two were beyond eating.) I offer this as feedback for your quality control folks. I hate wasting food.
I received my first box and was disappointed in some of the produce.An apple that was split and bruised, zucchini that was broken in half,, 6 soft cucumbers (looks like they were frozen at one time) 10 huge raddishes. ( who could use that many raddish .?)
Hope that my next order is better.
Hi Jane, we’re sorry to hear about the quality of your first box! That’s definitely not up to our standards and we want to make this right. Please fill out a ticket with our customer success team here: https://help.misfitsmarket.com/contact/custom-contact-form-S1NAIK1Iw Your message will be added to our queue and our team will be in touch with you via email as soon as they can. Thank you!
I’m trying to order a box for the first time, but it keeps showing that our zip code isn’t valid. I looked up the 4 digit extension & even tried that. I’ve lived here 26 years, so I’m pretty sure it’s correct.
Hi Linda, we’re sorry to hear that you’re having trouble checking out! Currently, Misfits Market is only delivered in select states. Please make sure your state is listed as one of the delivery areas here: https://www.misfitsmarket.com/faq#5
If you do live in a state that’s listed and you’re still having issues checking out or signing up, please fill out a ticket with our customer success team here: https://help.misfitsmarket.com/contact/custom-contact-form-S1NAIK1Iw Your message will be added to our queue and our team will be in touch with you via email as soon as they can. Thank you!
Wizards! This box was amazing! So much fabulous food right to my door, it felt like summer! And then Christmas to! So many fun surprises! I did not know I was supposed to mention referrals. My cousin posted this on facebook but she didn’t get credit for it. I am looking so forward to more boxes! Please keep up the good work! Organic!!!
5 years Paleo makes a customizable box an absolute godsend! Only 2 of us and we easily go through the big box in 2-3 weeks. A big salad every day, different greens to saute, fruit and sweet potatoes to keep me from slipping into nutritional keto. It’s a Paleo dream!!!
My first box was a very unimpressive problem, because FedEx is just incompetent. They lied about the delivery, kept it in their truck and finally delivered a soaked, clearly tampered- with box the next day and MM made it right, immediately, with a full refund. Ever since, I’ve been very impressed with the quality and freshness of my boxes. Changing to UPS would make me even happier but they’re worth sticking with, even with FedEx. My fridge is always full of colorful, fresh organic veggies. Several family members seem interested but the amount of veggies, even in the small box, is more than they think they’ll eat. Not a problem iin this house though! 🙂
Please cancel my subscription for a while
Hi Gayle! If you’d like to pause or cancel your subscription, please log in and visit your account page here: https://www.misfitsmarket.com/account Then, click “Manage Subscription.” On the right side of the page, you’ll be able to change your subscription preferences—preferred day, frequency, and box size. Or, scroll down to “need a break?” to skip, pause, or cancel. Thank you!
I am thinking about trying out “misfits”. If FedEx is the means of delivery to my area, I’m afraid I won’t be able to order. How can I find out about the delivery method for my area of Philadelphia, zip code 19148. Thanks.
Hi Joanne, great question! What third-party shipping partner we use depends on both your zip code and delivery date. Please fill out a ticket with our customer success team here: https://help.misfitsmarket.com/contact/custom-contact-form-S1NAIK1Iw Your message will be added to our queue and our team will be in touch with you via email as soon as they can. Thank you!
I’m loving Misfits Market boxes coming weekly to my door but feel a twinge of guilt with all the cardboard boxes and packaging that comes with it. Could there be a option for a more sustainable container? The Loop boxes developed by TerraCycle come to mind. I would be super excited to see a collaboration between Misfits Markets and Loop to offer returnable reusable boxes which offer individual compartments for holding items. This could help eliminate some damage to soft produce during shipping while also decreasing waste.
First two boxes okay. Some minor issues. Second had unusable slimy strawberries and some of blueberries with mold, however able to work through that. This box I had carefully picked out and was astounded when they billed me and I found out a good third of what I had ordered was now changed to items I have no use for (i.e. oranges and grapefruit for when I had a huge box sent to me for Christmas, spaghetti squash which I don’t like, beets which I don’t care for) I am missing green lettuce and bok choy which I had planned on. Don’t remember what else. I use this service so I don’t have to go to the store as often during this Covid but now I will have to go to buy greens which I thought was going to be provided for.
I had gotten on and entered order 1 hour after the ordering started. I saved it. No notice was given to me about any changes. I had talked my sister into starting this service but just called her and told her not to bother if they will be changing your orders to this degree without letting the customer know.
I really love misfits. It’s a great way to get amazing produce right to my door!! I especially look forward to selecting my preferences each week- it is like a fun toss up to see what new meals I can make!! My kids love to open the box! Helping them learn the excitement of fruits and veggies is worth it for me! ???? ????
I have to agree with the fault being with the shippers not with Misfits. Misfits says the box I ordered recently was due thursday but it looks as if it arrived in ALT then and then stopped. UPS is just as bad down here as FEDEX is, I wish there were another alternative.
I would happily rejoin if l know my boxes would come. Out of the ones l ordered l think l got only 2 or 3. You are not very dependable.
It was a joke total rip off I ordered 3 boxes and half the stuff was crushed or bad ! Its not cheaper than local fresh !!!!! Don’t waste your money
Hi Casey, we’re so sorry to hear that you’ve been upset with our service. This is not up to our standards and we want to make this right. Please fill out a ticket with our customer success team here: https://help.misfitsmarket.com/contact/custom-contact-form-S1NAIK1Iw Your message will be added to our queue and our team will be in touch with you via email as soon as they can. Thank you!
I have used Misfits in the past and cancelled the service, I received fruits and veggies I did not want or like. How do I get to choose what I want. I agree with the previous customer. I don’t want a huge quantity of radishes or any other fruit or veggie.
I would have loved to continue however my last 2 boxes were deplorable! Rotting food total waste, Packed poorly. Mistfits sure charged my bank for it and never responded to my requests for assistance. Very sad especially since referred several others.
Hi Lisa, we’re so sorry to hear about the quality of your last two boxes! That’s definitely not up to our standards and we want to make this right. Please fill out a ticket with our customer success team here: https://help.misfitsmarket.com/contact/custom-contact-form-S1NAIK1Iw Your message will be added to our queue and our team will be in touch with you via email as soon as they can. Thank you!
My experience was not a positive one and gave up. You chose what to ship after you take the money, you ship rotten products as fresh, as I have complained about. The value I received was merely equal to local supermarket prices.
It’s a joke and you know it!
Hi Enrico, we’re sorry to hear about the quality of your box. This is not up to our standards and we want to investigate this and make it right. Please fill out a ticket with our customer success team here: https://help.misfitsmarket.com/contact/custom-contact-form-S1NAIK1Iw Your message will be added to our queue and our team will be in touch with you via email as soon as they can. Thank you!
I had that too… there is a zip code required by the credit card number…
Hi! I really loved misfits but I hate that you used FedEx. I would gladly restart my subscription because I loved getting my boxes and ate so much healthier. That being said because of FedEx and their horrible delivery system I won’t. They held several boxes in their warehouse for days and then delivered rotten produce. It happened to my parents who also were subscribers and canceled because the same thing kept happening to them as well. When my box was delivered on time the produce was great but it kept happening every delivery. Please let me know when you change deliverers and I will happily renew my subscription.
I and all my friends love misfits. We receive the boxes in rural Idaho in 10 degree temps. All produce in great condition. Opening a box is like Christmas morning. I have begun using new recipes. Spaghetti squash awesome. Spirolized zucinni. Perfect. The produce in our local markets isn’t great. Two thumbs up to misfits